Rising House speaker ascends leadership ladder quickly

Will Weatherford is used to other people in his family getting the limelight.

While he had his own career as a college athlete, his younger brother, Drew Weatherford, gained attention as a starting quarterback for the Florida State University Seminoles.

Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, debates the redistricting bill during the house session on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Tallahassee.

But 32-year-old Will is poised to step forward as the leader for a much bigger team: The 120 member Florida House of Representatives.

The one-time linebacker for Jacksonville University has quickly worked up the leadership ladder and is scheduled to become the next House speaker in November.

Weatherford already leads one of the most powerful legislative panels — the House committee responsible for drawing up new congressional and legislative districts. His power and influence over legislation will grow in the coming months.

Those who know him well say he’s a quick study and is at ease discussing any of the thorny issues lawmakers have wrestled with over the last few years, from Medicaid to the state created-fund that is a backstop for insurance companies.

“The guy just has a natural instinct for public policy. He just gets it,” said former House Speaker Allan Bense. “He’s in the Jeb Bush league of understanding public policy. Will has the same ability to see the bigger picture.”

Bense, a Republican from Panama City, may know Weatherford better than other people since he’s also his father-in-law. But Bense isn’t alone in his praise for Weatherford, who was recently named to Governing magazine’s “12 Legislators to Watch in 2012” list.

Whether it is because of his youth, ease in winning office or rising power in a legislative chamber where the speaker’s clout is wide-ranging, it is hard to find anyone to speak negatively of Weatherford.

During his brief legislative career, Weatherford has consistently voted with other conservatives in the House and has given forceful support to such measures as merit pay for teachers. But so far he is viewed as more approachable than his predecessors as speaker, leading to speculation that he may not be as autocratic.

The main criticism aimed at him recently has not come from Democrats, but some national Republicans upset by the Legislature’s handling of the redistricting process.

Rush Limbaugh sharply criticized the Legislature and Weatherford when it drew up congressional maps that reshaped the district of U.S. Rep. Allen West. Weatherford came under fire because he is a supporter of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, with Limbaugh suggesting that it was part of an assault on conservatives by Romney supporters.

West has since announced he will run in a different district currently represented by Rep. Tom Rooney. Former state Rep. Adam Hasner will run in West’s current district, while Rooney shifts to a district that includes Charlotte County.

Weatherford has brushed aside criticism of his handling of the redistricting process, insisting that he was following new constitutional standards imposed by voters in 2010.
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Education priority

Step Up for Students Chairman John Kirtley turned to Weatherford in 2010 to expand a state program that provides tax credits to companies donating money to a private school voucher program that helps low income families. Kirtley called Weatherford the “poster child” for school choice since he was home schooled until his freshman year of high school — one of nine children in his family to learn at home — and said he watched Weatherford work closely with some House Democrats to get the bill passed.

“He’s not a partisan person,” said Kirtley, who recalls that Weatherford made several appearances before the legislative black caucus pitching the bill, seeking input and support. “He wants to lead in a consensus-building way.”

Rep. Darryl Rouson agrees. Rouson is a St. Petersburg Democrat and child of public school and community college educators who worked closely with Weatherford on the bill. The measure cleared the House with nearly half of the Democrats voting yes.

But Rouson said Weatherford has treated him the same when they disagree on issues.

“There are times in Tallahassee when you feel like differences are not welcomed,” Rouson said. “I don’t get that with Weatherford. He might not be with you, and he may strongly disagree with you in principle, but he won’t disrespect you.”

Weatherford said he wants to lead “without running people over.”

His goal, he says, is to make Florida a destination for small business owners and entrepreneurs and an appealing state to live and raise a family.

“I tell people, if you want to have potential security and want to have a job you have to have an eduction,” Weatherford said. “My dream is to get us back to where we were, not through artificial house prices or home values but through true innovation, through education and through changing our economy — diversifying our economy in a way that changes the game for Florida and hopefully puts us in a place where we can be competitive with the rest of the world.”

Weatherford is scheduled to assume power in the Legislature along with Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican who is 31 years his senior. But Weatherford says the generational gap won’t be an issue because he and Gaetz share similar values and, he said, similar ideas.

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Quick learner

His experience belies his age.

The illness and death of his youngest brother Peter in 1994 after a year-long battle with cancer matured Weatherford from a carefree high school teenager to a responsible one, taking on more at-home responsibilities for his younger brothers and sisters while his parents, Bill and Cathy “lived at All Children’s Hospital.”

Weatherford's younger brother, Drew, was a former quarterback for Florida State.

“It helps put life in perspective at a very young age about what is important,” Weatherford said of the experience. “But, also, one of the silver linings to it was that I think as a family it drew us closer together. And it also forced myself and my sister to become adults at a much younger age. And I think that in large part, what has helped me be in leadership positions at a young age.”

Weatherford also has benefitted from Bense’s assistance. The two men met in in 2002 when Weatherford, a senior linebacker for the Jacksonville University was asked to keep an eye on Bense’s son, Jason, then a freshman linebacker.

After meeting Weatherford while visiting his son, Allan Bense said, “Immediately I figured out Will was a very smart guy. And I kept up with Will.”

Bense helped Weatherford land a job at the Republican Party of Florida in 2004. Weatherford transferred to the Speaker’s Office with Bense in 2004 and by 2006 Bense said he “was in the war room reading amendments.”

The Republican Party asked Weatherford in 2006 to run as a replacement candidate for Rep. Ken Littlefield, who was dropping out to serve as a Public Service Commissioner. Just 26 and newly married, Weatherford’s name never appeared on the ballot. He won by asking people to vote for Littlefield.

Months later Weatherford emerged as the frontrunner among Republican freshman for House speaker in 2012. He was re-elected without opposition in 2008 and in 2010 easily defeated his challenger in the Republican primary, as well as a Democrat in the general election.

Weatherford’s 2011 financial disclosure forms show he had a net worth of more than $324,000 in 2010, the latest financial data available. His assets include a condominium in Tallahassee just blocks from the Capitol, and a near $500,000 home in Wesley Chapel.

Weatherford says his popular father in law has been a great mentor and friend.

Eager to assist him early on, Bense now tries to keep a distance, at least in Tallahassee.

“Will would have moved up and gotten where he is with or without me,” Bense said. “I just speeded it up a little.”

Christine Sexton

Christine Jordan Sexton is a correspondent for HT Politics.com. She is based in Tallahassee. If you have suggestions for the weekly legislative calendar, please contact Political Editor Victor Hull at victor.hull@
heraldtribune.com

Last modified: February 13, 2012
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